Recent terrorist threats with means of using shipments as a way to deliver life threatening explosives has created concern for how a container can be shipped, and what the status of its relative contents might be during the shipment process. A supplier's container may be stolen and its respective contents may be tampered with along its shipping route. Current methods of tracking these containers, and their contents, present many dark zones or areas where traceability is not visible. A need for a more detailed level of accountability is now being required. It is for this reason that a real-time, true transparent method of tracking shipments from suppliers must be established.
These containers are subject to various methods of shipping. Because of this, the container and contents may be subject to different environmental pressures that could jeopardize or spoil the status of the shipment. Therefore, the contents, in some instances, may require a method of monitoring their temperature and exposures to the elements. When the items are shipped in the air by plane they may also have to abide by certain regulations such as those determined by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) including, but not limited to the tracking device powering down so that it does not attempt to send/receive signal transmission on its own or without proper protocol. In this instance the tracking device can use the altimeter sensor or barometric pressure portion of the device to signal the unit to enter into a dormant mode. Another method is to communicate directly through the airplane's wireless relay system, such as an onboard Wi-Fi router such as Gogo® Inflight Internet Wi-Fi service used to communicate the container's position and its overall status.
Another problem is excessive shipping. With the use of a real-time location tracking system, the inventory managers of the suppliers can use a system called “Radial Replenishment” where only inventory closest to the order's point of final destination is used to fulfill the order. By incorporating this method of inventory management, suppliers will spend less money on shipping, less resources will be exhausted, and less emissions from vehicles or airplanes will be expelled into the atmosphere.
Another problem is theft of the containers between the point of shipping origin and the final destination. Once the container is delivered to a shipping port and someone accepts shipment to forward to its next transient point, the container becomes the property and responsibility of the port authority. This creates a higher level of liability. There have also been instances of theft within the shipping ports. In some instances the containers have been shipped to the incorrect warehouse and this has not been discovered until the day delivery is expected. This shipping error will again result in postponement of the delivery and incur related expenses.
Therefore, what is needed in the art is a tracking device and system for tracking these containers and their respective contents from origination to the point of scheduled destination. This would enable the supplier's field representative to locate and monitor the container from the time it has left the point of origin until it arrived at the scheduled destination. The system is also capable of ordering additional supplies and billing for the use of the supplies and equipment.